NTP measures time in seconds relative to January 1, 1900, in a 64-bit fixed-point format, with the integer part representing the number of seconds and the fractional part representing fractions of a second.
NTP stands for Network Time Protocol, which synchronizes timekeeping among a set of distributed time servers and clients. It ensures accurate timekeeping across networks by adjusting for network latency and irregularities.
NTP primarily uses UDP (User Datagram Protocol) on port 123 for communication between clients and servers. UDP is preferred for its lower overhead and faster transmission compared to TCP (Transmission Control Protocol).
NTP calculates time by exchanging timestamps between clients and servers and using algorithms to estimate the propagation delay and offset between their clocks. It adjusts the client’s clock by compensating for these factors to synchronize it with the server’s more accurate time.
The NTP standard defines the protocol used to synchronize clocks on computer networks. It specifies algorithms for clock synchronization, error estimation, and correction mechanisms to achieve accurate timekeeping across devices connected to the network.